Hmm. There’s a lot to ponder here. I broadly agree with your argument.
It’s worth noting that modern philosophy (besotted with the notion of expressing everything quantitatively) reduced color to a secondary attribute. What is real what can be mathematically expressed, and what used to be common-sense primary attributes were reduced to subjective phenomenal experiences.
That reduction of reality to the quantifiable has no place for color, or smell, or anything like that, not really. The delights of everyday experience are understood, even if only subconsciously, as illusions. It takes a great amount of willpower to perpetually justify illusions, and I think it leads to the fundamental nihilism of modern culture. Why bother coloring things if it’s just an illusion, literally a trick of the mind?
And to defend Aristotle, I would note that it’s substance that matters. Substantial form does not exist independently; only the substance (composite of substantial form and prime matter) exists. Color is an accident, and so it inheres in a substance. So there’s no Redness extant (as Plato would have thought with his Forms), but red inheres in substances (eg, the red flower).
But crucially accidents reveal the reality. The redness in the flower actually tells you about the flower (the real, extant flower). It’s not merely a mental projection.
This is what happens when I have a couple glasses of wine, by the way. Apologies for the length of the post.
Interesting. Particularly as it is a new concept for me. I abhor some of the blatantly ugly architecture that we are presented with, my husband called it “Visual vandalism that I have to see whether I want to or not”. Other than that, look at some of the cars, especially the Tesla monstrosity. What too have they done to the Mustang and the once openly opulent Cadillac. I had not previous to this article thought of ugliness and soulless uniformity as aspects of culture control. Thank you for highlighting ugly and colourless uniformity as a type of conditioning.
Very nice Post! I am really worried about our young people. I walked by a class of students today. Black puffy coats over black hoodies, grey sweat pants... and you know what Lagerfeld said about sweatpants: “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.” It is depressing!
This is all an excellent big picture observation and analysis.
I continually find myself wanting to buy bright colored shirts, shorts and shoes - to yes - rebel.
Hmm. There’s a lot to ponder here. I broadly agree with your argument.
It’s worth noting that modern philosophy (besotted with the notion of expressing everything quantitatively) reduced color to a secondary attribute. What is real what can be mathematically expressed, and what used to be common-sense primary attributes were reduced to subjective phenomenal experiences.
That reduction of reality to the quantifiable has no place for color, or smell, or anything like that, not really. The delights of everyday experience are understood, even if only subconsciously, as illusions. It takes a great amount of willpower to perpetually justify illusions, and I think it leads to the fundamental nihilism of modern culture. Why bother coloring things if it’s just an illusion, literally a trick of the mind?
And to defend Aristotle, I would note that it’s substance that matters. Substantial form does not exist independently; only the substance (composite of substantial form and prime matter) exists. Color is an accident, and so it inheres in a substance. So there’s no Redness extant (as Plato would have thought with his Forms), but red inheres in substances (eg, the red flower).
But crucially accidents reveal the reality. The redness in the flower actually tells you about the flower (the real, extant flower). It’s not merely a mental projection.
This is what happens when I have a couple glasses of wine, by the way. Apologies for the length of the post.
Interesting. Particularly as it is a new concept for me. I abhor some of the blatantly ugly architecture that we are presented with, my husband called it “Visual vandalism that I have to see whether I want to or not”. Other than that, look at some of the cars, especially the Tesla monstrosity. What too have they done to the Mustang and the once openly opulent Cadillac. I had not previous to this article thought of ugliness and soulless uniformity as aspects of culture control. Thank you for highlighting ugly and colourless uniformity as a type of conditioning.
I respond so strongly to color, that at times in a walk I will see a certain shade on a car and I have to stop and wonder in sheer awe.
Very nice Post! I am really worried about our young people. I walked by a class of students today. Black puffy coats over black hoodies, grey sweat pants... and you know what Lagerfeld said about sweatpants: “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.” It is depressing!
After yers of driving silver cars (easy to look clean), I now rebel and drive a candy-apple red sedan 🚘